1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cap device in which a long coupling member is coupled at one end to a cap.
The present invention is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-190697 and No. 2000-200744, which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of cap device is known as disclosed in JP-A-62-173321. FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view showing a conventional fuel tank inlet portion of a motor vehicle. In FIG. 24, a recess 102, which is opened and closed with a fuel filler lid 101, is provided at a rear part of a body panel 100 of a motor vehicle. A fuel tank inlet 104a of a filler pipe 104 is formed in its bottom wall 102a. The fuel tank inlet 104a is closed with a filler cap 110 in a sealing manner. A coupling string 114 which is slidably supported in an annular groove 111a is coupled to the filler cap 110 through a ring 112. The other end of the coupling string 114 is placed in a tubular cover 116 extending into the body panel 100.
In the conventional filler cap device, to feed fuel into the fuel tank, the fuel filler lid 101 is opened, the filler cap 110 is removed from the filler pipe 104, the coupling string 114 is drawn out of the tubular cover 116, and the filler cap 110 hangs down. To close the filler cap 110, the coupling string 114 is put into the tubular cover 116. Thus, the filler cap device is constructed so as to prevent the filler cap 110 from dropping and being lost when fuel is fed and so as not catch the coupling string 114 in the fuel filler lid 101 when the fuel filler lid 101 is tightened.
When the conventional filler cap device is used in cold districts, it frequently occurs that rainwater, snow or the like enters a clearance between the annular groove 111a of the filler cap 110 and the ring 112, and is frozen. In this case, an ice block is formed and it hinders the rotation of the ring 112. The hindering state of the rotation of the ring 112 is transmitted through the coupling string 114 to the filler cap 110. This makes it difficult to rotate the filler cap 110 itself, and hence makes it difficult to smoothly remove the filler cap 110 from the fuel tank inlet 104a. 
Further, in the conventional cap structure, when fuel is fed, the filler cap 110 hangs down at a position close to the body panel 100. Accordingly, there is a fear that the filler cap 110 interferes with the fuel feed gun or comes in contact with the body panel 100 and those rub together. Further, the tubular cover 116 is deeply projected into the body panel 100. Because of this, a freedom of layout of component parts within the body panel 100 is restricted, and the construction is complex.
The present invention is directed to solve the above problem, and to provide a cap device which is free from the difficulty in attaching and detaching of the cap, which is caused by the freezing, even when it is used in cold districts.
Further the present invention is directed for solving the above problems, and has an object to provide a cap device which never interferes with a fuel feed gun and a body panel when a filler cap is removed to feed fuel, and is simple in construction.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a first cap device in which a long, flexible coupling member is coupled at one end to a filler cap for opening and closing a fuel tank inlet, and is slidably mounted at the other end to a guide member located near the fuel tank inlet, the cap device comprising:
a rotary ring being rotatably mounted around the circumferential outer surface of the filler cap and fastened to one end of the coupling member; and
protrusions being provided on a surface of a part which slides when the rotary ring and the circumferential outer surface of the filler cap rotate relative to each other.
In the first cap device, when the filler cap is removed from the fuel tank inlet, the filler cap is supported at a position near the fuel tank inlet, by the coupling member. Therefore, there is no fear of losing the filler cap and failing to cap the fuel tank inlet. One end of the coupling member is fastened to the rotary ring, which is rotatably mounted on the circumference of the filler cap. When the filler cap is turned to remove it, the rotary ring and the filler cap rotate relative to each other. Therefore, if the filler cap is coupled to the slide support member, the opening and closing operations of the filler cap may be normally performed.
Protrusions are formed on a surface of a part which slides when the rotary ring and the circumferential outer surface of the filler cap rotate relative to each other. The protrusions reduce a contact area of the rotary ring and the filler cap. This reduces a freezing force at the sliding part. Further, it secures a space between the rotary ring and the outer surface of the filler cap. This space functions as a drain channel, lessening the freezing at the sliding part. The protrusions are preferably positioned on at least the lower side of the rotary ring, which is a part of the sliding part. In particular, the contact area of the lower side of the slanted block most frequently comes in contact it. Accordingly, the draining function of the groove is enhanced. Alternately, the protrusions may be positioned on the inner surface of the rotary ring and/or the side surface of the filler cap. With this, the operation and effect of the invention are further enhanced. Thus, when the protrusions may be provided on at least one of the lower side and the inner side of the sliding part of the rotary ring, and the side surface of the filler cap, the operation and effect are secured as mentioned above.
According to the second aspect of the invention, there is provided a cap device in which a long, flexible coupling member is coupled at one end to a filler cap for opening and closing a fuel tank inlet, and is slidably mounted at the other end to a guide member located near the fuel tank inlet, the cap device comprising:
a rotary ring being rotatably mounted around the circumferential outer surface of the filler cap and fastened to one end of the coupling member; and sharpened protrusions for removing foreign materials such as ice blocks being provided on a sliding part where the rotary ring and the circumferential outer surface of the filler cap slide relative to each other. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the sharpened protrusions scrap out foreign materials such as ice blocks which are present on the sliding part between the rotary ring and the filler cap. Therefore, the rotation of the filler cap is not obstructed at the rotary ring and no hindrance occurs in the opening/closing operation of the filler cap, even in environments where freezing easily occurs.
In the cap device, the sharpened protrusions are slanted in a rotating direction of the rotary ring. This feature further enhances the function of remove foreign materials such as ice blocks.
The rotary ring preferably includes drain channels which are located close to the protrusions on the inner surface of the rotary ring, and extends from the upper end to the lower end of the rotary ring. With this technical feature, the sharpened protrusions scrap out foreign materials such as ice blocks attaching to the sliding part, and discharge the scraped ones to exterior through the drain channels. As a result, a smooth rotation of the rotary ring is ensured.
According to the third aspect of the invention, there is provided a first cap device in which an fuel tank inlet of a filler pipe is located in a recess of a body panel, and which has a filler cap for hermetically closing the fuel tank inlet and fuel filler lid being turned on a hinge so as to open and close an opening of the recess, the cap device comprising:
a coupling member coupled at one end to the filler cap and at the other end to a slide support member; and
a guide member, disposed on the back side of the fuel filler lid, for guiding the slide support member in such a direction that the slide support member slides apart from the hinge.
In the cap device thus constructed, when the fuel filler lid is opened through the hinge and the filler cap is removed, the coupling member coupled to the filler cap is guided by the guide member with the aid of the slide support member. The guide member guides the slide support member in such a direction that the slide support member moves apart from the hinge. That is, it guides the slide support member to a position apart from the body panel. Accordingly, the filler cap hangs down by the coupling member at a position separated from the fuel tank inlet in a state that the fuel filler lid is opened. As a result, the filler cap has moved to a position located from the fuel tank inlet and the body panel.
Thus the cap device of the invention has such a simple construction that the guide member is provided on the fuel filler lid. Further, there is no need of providing the guide in the body panel as referred to in the related art description. Therefore, other parts may be laid out with less restriction within the body panel.
It is sufficient that the guide member is provided so as to guide the slide support member to move apart from the hinge. In this case, the guide member may be provided so as to guide the slide support member to a lower position when the slide support member moves more apart from the hinge. If so done, there is less fear that the filler cap hits the fuel feed gun or the human body and moves to the body panel.
In another mode of the invention, the slide support member includes a moderating member which elastically deforms with the movement of the slide support member, the moderating member being located in the middle of the guide member. When the slide support member slides on and along the guide member, the moderating member engages the slide support member to deform, and regulates the movement of the slide support member toward the hinge side.
In another preferred mode, the guide member may include a water-proof cover for preventing water from entering a location where the slide support member slides. The water-proof cover may be shaped like a sunshade, which expands above the slide support member. When rainwater enters through a gap between the body panel and the fuel filler lid, the water-proof cover prevents the rainwater from entering a gap between the filler cap and the slit. Therefore, there is no fear water enters the gap and is frozen there, and hence the sliding operation of the slide support member is not hindered.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a cap device in which an fuel tank inlet of a filler pipe is located in a recess of a body panel, and which has a filler cap for hermetically closing the fuel tank inlet and a fuel filler lid being turned on a hinge so as to open and close an opening of the recess the cap device comprising:
a coupling member coupled at one end to a first
slide support member and at the other end to the second slide support member;
a first guide member, disposed on the back side of the fuel filler lid, for guiding the first slide support member in such a direction that the first slide support member slides apart from the hinge; and
a second guide member, disposed on the filler cap, for slidably guiding the second slide support member.
In this fourth cap device, a structure including the guide member and the slide support member, which resembles the structure of the third aspect of the cap device, is provided also in the filler cap. Specifically, the second slide support member is provided at the other end of the coupling member. The second guide member provided on the filler cap slidably supports the second slide support member. With such a construction, when the filler cap is attached to and detached from the fuel tank inlet, the second slide support member is slidably guided by the second guide member. Therefore, the operability in handling the filler cap is improved. Further, the second slide support member is slidable with respect to the second guide member, and a contact area between them is small. Even if rainwater enters a gap between the slide support member and the second guide member in environments where freezing of water easily occurs, e.g., in cold districts, the second slide support member may easily be moved with the coupling member since an area of freeing the second slide support member is narrow. For this reason, even in such environments that the freeing easily occurs, there is less fear of deteriorating the operability.